Beyond the Timescape

Chapter 18: Master Bai

Ignoring the stragglers trailing behind him, Xu Qing marched forward with Captain Lei secured on his back. He reached into his leather pouch, extracted a White Pill, and fed it to the unconscious man.

Whether it was the pill’s effect or the residual efficacy of the Seven-Leaf Grass, the sickly, necrotic bluish-black hue on Captain Lei’s face finally stopped spreading.

However, the Mutagen saturating his body was simply too dense. The basic White Pills Xu Qing possessed weren’t enough to completely purge the toxic radiation.

Captain Lei remained comatose. The sheer horror of their expedition into the restricted zone had taken a heavy toll on the veteran.

As they navigated the deep night, Xu Qing stumbled upon several more scavengers trapped in the mist, paralyzed by despair. Driven by cold logic, Xu Qing struck a deal: for the price of their White Pills, he allowed them to follow the sound of his footsteps.

Naturally, a few fools tried to test him. They quickly became bloody cautionary tales, cementing the survivors’ absolute terror and reverence for the feral boy leading them.

Most assumed Xu Qing was a mutant born with overwhelming spiritual strength—the only type of person capable of moving unhindered through the anomalous mist.

Xu Qing had heard of such people from Luan Ya. It was the perfect cover. He didn’t have to worry about exposing the secret of his shadow.

Having collected over ten White Pills, Xu Qing fed them to Captain Lei. The captain’s complexion gradually shifted from a bruised black to a healthier pale blue. His breathing grew noticeably steadier.

Simultaneously, Xu Qing noticed the feedback from his shadow was waning.

As he walked, the mist ahead lost its transparency, growing thick and murky. Soon, his vision would be just as impaired as any ordinary scavenger’s.

Fortunately, the border was close.

Pushing his speed to the limit, Xu Qing raced against his fading sight. The oppressive darkness of the sky began to thin. As the first rays of dawn pierced the canopy, spilling golden light over the blighted earth, Xu Qing finally saw the edge of the jungle through the gaps in the branches.

A rare ripple of emotion touched his heart. He leaped over the boundary line, breaking free from the tree line.

The moment he crossed that invisible, freezing threshold, the warm morning wind hit him.

The sudden brightness forced him to squint. He stood there, taking a deep, greedy breath of the untainted air.

Behind him, the scavengers stumbled across the boundary, their vision snapping back.

Having survived a nine-deaths-and-one-life ordeal, they erupted in manic relief. One old man collapsed to his knees, weeping as he kissed the dirt.

Only now, in the harsh light of day, did they get a clear look at their savior—and the man slung over his back.

They might not recognize the boy, but everyone knew the man.

“Kid!”

“Captain Lei!”

The handful of survivors gasped in shock. But the moment Xu Qing’s cold, wolf-like gaze swept over them, they instinctively snapped their mouths shut.

His ruthless efficiency in slaughtering anyone who harbored ill intent had thoroughly broken their nerve.

Dismissing them, Xu Qing adjusted his grip on Captain Lei and prepared to head straight for the Scavenger Camp. Suddenly, two figures tore across the horizon, closing the distance at breakneck speed.

Cross and Luan Ya. They hadn’t waited in the camp; they had been anxiously pacing the perimeter all night.

They had already agreed: if Captain Lei didn’t emerge by dawn, they were going back in.

Spotting Xu Qing, they sprinted over.

Cross’s pupils shrank when he saw the unconscious captain, but his gaze softened with relief when he looked at Xu Qing.

Luan Ya’s reaction was entirely different. Her face twisted, and a suffocating killing intent erupted from her, locking onto the scavengers huddled behind Xu Qing.

The survivors tensed, their breathing ragged as they reached for their weapons.

“They had nothing to do with it,” Xu Qing said flatly. “In fact, thanks to them, Captain Lei survived.”

Luan Ya’s killing intent evaporated. The scavengers exhaled in unison. Looking at Xu Qing with a mix of profound dread and gratitude, they cupped their fists in a silent salute and scattered.

Once they were gone, Cross stepped forward to take Captain Lei.

Xu Qing shifted his shoulders, refusing to let go. “Let him sleep a bit more. I can carry him.”

Cross nodded, his expression tight. “Alright. We’re heading straight to the camp. We need to get the captain to a physician.” He pulled out a White Pill, fed it to Lei, and fell into step beside Xu Qing. With Luan Ya flanking the other side, the trio bolted toward the settlement.

Along the way, Luan Ya opened her mouth several times before finally forcing the words out.

“Where is Barbarian Ghost? Is the Blood Shadow Squad still on your trail?”

Xu Qing remained silent. Only the rhythmic pounding of their boots filled the air. Finally, he spoke, his voice devoid of inflection.

“Barbarian Ghost mutated. Dead in battle.”

Cross and Luan Ya stumbled, their pace faltering. Even though they had prepared themselves for the worst, a heavy grief clouded their eyes. Luan Ya looked entirely hollowed out.

Then, Xu Qing delivered his second sentence, making them both flinch.

“Blood Shadow Squad. Annihilated.”

Xu Qing kept his eyes on the path ahead, his tone casual, as if reporting the weather.

“Is that why… the captain’s injuries and Mutagen levels are so severe?” Luan Ya muttered, trying to piece the nightmare together.

Cross, however, shot Xu Qing a deeply calculating look. He sensed there was far more to the story, but he knew better than to pry.

Xu Qing offered no further explanation. He didn’t mention the eerie singing or the red shoes. That was Captain Lei’s secret. It wasn’t his place to share it.

They reached the Scavenger Camp and bypassed the usual chaos, heading straight for the external caravan’s sector. Their target: the highly esteemed physician who had recently set up shop and gained massive renown.

The Thunder Squad’s arrival sent a ripple of tension through the waiting crowd. The scavengers took one look at their blood-soaked leathers, the palpable killing aura radiating from them, and the comatose Captain Lei. The man at the very front of the line wisely stepped aside.

Without a word, the squad entered the large tent.

The interior was spacious, thick with the sharp, earthy scent of medicinal herbs. Armored guards stood at attention, watching a nervous scavenger receive a consultation.

The physician was a thin, elderly man in a simple, immaculately clean gray robe. Deep wrinkles lined his face, but his eyes were piercingly bright—shining with a profound wisdom that felt as though it could strip away a man’s secrets with a single glance. This was Master Bai.

Flanking him sat two youths. On his left was a boy around Xu Qing’s age, dressed in fine blue silk. A black jade band held his hair, and a dragon-carved jade pendant hung from his waist, its golden tassels pooling on his cushion. The boy was handsome and impeccably clean, though he looked bored out of his mind. He propped his chin on one hand, lazily flipping through a medical text with the other, stifling a yawn.

On Master Bai’s right sat a girl of sixteen or seventeen. She wore a matching blue dress that complemented her snow-white skin and refined, oval face. Her long hair cascaded like a waterfall. Her eyes were clear and brilliant as stars. Catching her fellow disciple dozing, she smiled gently, her eyes curving into beautiful crescents that seemed to radiate spiritual charm.

Every subtle movement she made exuded an innate nobility, making one marvel at her elegant radiance.

This pair of golden youths possessed a pristine elegance utterly alien to the grime of the Scavenger Camp. Luan Ya subconsciously shrank back, suddenly hyper-aware of her own filth. Even Cross couldn’t help but steal a few glances.

Xu Qing, however, barely registered their faces. His eyes locked onto the medical texts in their hands. A flicker of intense hunger flashed in his gaze—knowledge was survival—but he quickly suppressed it, shifting his focus to the old physician.

Master Bai finished his instructions. The scavenger bowed profusely and scurried out. The old man washed his hands in a copper basin, dried them, and finally looked up.

His gaze swept over the group, lingering on Xu Qing for a fraction of a second longer than necessary, a glint of profound scrutiny in his eyes. Then, he looked at Captain Lei.

“Put him down.”

For some inexplicable reason, under the old man’s gaze, Xu Qing felt a prickle of tension—like a street rat suddenly thrust before a strict scholar.

With Cross’s help, he carefully lowered Captain Lei onto a mat.

The movement roused the captain. Lei blinked, disoriented by the tent, before his eyes focused on Master Bai and his squad. He grunted, trying to push himself up.

“Lie still,” Master Bai ordered, his tone flat but carrying an undeniable weight.

Captain Lei met the physician’s eyes. After a moment of stubborn silence, he forced himself up anyway. Supported by Cross, he offered a deep, respectful bow.

“It’s just a minor injury. They shouldn’t have brought me here to trouble Master Bai. I’m fine.”

“You know me?” Master Bai asked, a hint of curiosity in his voice.

“I had the honor of seeing Master Bai from afar, many years ago,” Captain Lei replied respectfully.

Master Bai studied him intently. “Your recent physical injuries are trivial. The Mutagen in your body has been temporarily suppressed. It is not fatal. However, your mental exhaustion is severe. You have experienced massive emotional fluctuations recently, which has damaged your heart meridian.”

He paused, his voice taking on a clinical detachment. “Combined, these are troublesome, but treatable. However… that is not the core issue.”

“The core issue is the hidden trauma deep within your body. Your foundation was crippled years ago. Your current cultivation is something you forcibly rebuilt from the ruins. Reaching your current level with a shattered foundation was no small feat.”

“But by doing so, you have overdrawn your life force. Ordinary medicine cannot fix this. I am powerless to cure you. I will write you a prescription to ease the symptoms, but how much it helps will depend entirely on your own fate.”

Master Bai’s eyes narrowed, his tone turning grave. “Remember this: from this moment on, you must cease all cultivation and breathing techniques. If you draw in any more Mutagen, it will trigger a total collapse of your hidden injuries. If that happens… you will undoubtedly die.”

A heavy silence fell over the tent. Cross and Luan Ya lowered their heads; they clearly knew about the captain’s crippled foundation.

Xu Qing, hearing this for the first time, looked at Captain Lei. His mind flashed back to the restricted zone—the haunting singing, the crimson mist, and the blood-red women’s shoes.

“Is there truly no other way?” Cross asked, his voice hoarse.

“There is,” Master Bai replied calmly. “If you can procure a heavenly treasure, such as a Destiny Flower, it can naturally reforge his foundation and extend his life. I heard rumors that one bloomed in the nearby restricted zone many years ago.”

Cross fell dead silent. Luan Ya bit her lip, her eyes swimming with despair.

Xu Qing stared at Captain Lei.

Compared to his squad’s devastation, Captain Lei looked entirely at peace. He offered a faint, dismissive smile.

“It’s not that serious. Just old ailments acting up. We won’t take up any more of Master Bai’s time.” He bowed again and gestured for his squad to leave.

Xu Qing and the others bowed in thanks, taking the prescription from the old man.

As Xu Qing turned to leave, his instincts flared. He glanced back and caught Master Bai watching him—a deep, calculating look of appraisal that made the hairs on his neck stand up.

The walk back to Captain Lei’s hut was suffocatingly quiet.

Once inside, Cross and Luan Ya opened their mouths, desperate to say something, anything, but Lei waved them off, dismissing them with a tired gesture.

Only when the door clicked shut did Captain Lei let his shoulders sag. He rummaged through a drawer, pulled out a pinch of dried tobacco, and packed it into a worn pipe from his pouch. He lit it, taking a long, deep drag.

As he exhaled a thick cloud of smoke, the tension seemed to bleed out of him. He looked at Xu Qing, who was standing perfectly still, watching him with intense, silent concern.

Lei chuckled, waving the pipe. “Kept forgetting to smoke in that damn zone. First puff back is always the best. Better than any medicine.”

Xu Qing opened his mouth to speak.

“What do you want to eat today?” Lei interrupted smoothly, refusing to let the boy voice his worries. “I’ll cook. And… you can have a drink with me.”

Xu Qing stared at the old scavenger. He understood. Lei didn’t want pity. He wanted normalcy.

After a long moment, Xu Qing gave a sharp nod.

“Snake.”